M3 Wave

Salem, OR

Date Accepted

Combined Score

Team Info

M3 Wave is a leader in submerged pressure differential wave energy technology. Founded in 2009, M3 is commercializing a unique submerged pressure differential technology first developed in 1991.

WEC Device Type

Submerged mid-column pressure differential harvester

Team Quote

The open ocean eats puny man-made things for breakfast. Survivability is the key to cost-effective energy harvesting.

Team Bios

Mike Morrow, PE has experience as PI on numerous state and federal projects in the wave energy field. Mike has over 22 years of engineering experience, with a focus on innovation and commercialization and numerous patents.

Mike Delos-Reyes, PhD, has extensive experience in materials design and systems modeling. Mike has developed and refined the complex numerical model for APEX system operation and was lead scientist on the APEX 2014 open water deployment.

The article is a follow-up update linked to the book “The Next Wave” which features a large section on “The Mikes.”

Right now the team is refurbishing the company small scale tank in preparation for DOE-funded 1:50 scale testing of next-generation survivability enhancements to their APEX and NEXUS technologies.

See you next month in Bethesda!

M3 Wave completes testing at Carderock

Posted on Fri 19 Aug 2016

This month M3 was proud to be the first team into (and OUT OF) the water at Carderock!

It was a hot, humid two weeks at the Naval Surface Warfare Center but the experience was amazing. The folks with Wave Prize, Carderock, the DAs, and many more put in long, grueling hours. Hats off to these professionals who will be doing this over and over again over the next 10 weeks!

Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos or video of ANY KIND on the premises. So instead, for this month’s update, we hired expert sketch artists like they use in the Supreme Court. These individuals were able to capture the essence of the moment:

M3 ready for Carderock after a busy month

Posted on Tue 19 Jul 2016

In June we did a “wet run” in the wave tank at Hinsdale at Oregon State University.

We tested punt deployment:

Rigging to mooring system:

Remote descent to operational depth:

Mooring dynamics:

And line tending/device management under crane:

We also ran waves and collected power data.

Finally, for fun, we ran bigger waves at a shallower-than-normal operating depth just to stress test the system:

After a successful week in the tank, we packed up:

And company surveillance cameras caught the departure of Wave Prize from M3’s facility:

M3 begins final assembly and pre-testing

Posted on Fri 17 Jun 2016

In addition to submitting the TG3 requirements, we began final assembly and pre-testing preparations.

This month we did a dry fit of the Hinsdale Wave tank anchoring brackets as well as identified improvements to fittings used for the OAC based on reviewing the OAC we deployed in 2011 at OSU.

Final FRP components were delivered and we developed an assembly plan and associated support infrastructure:

M3 participates in Team Summit and continues to develop 1:20 scale model

Posted on Fri 13 May 2016

M3 Wave Participated in the DOE Wave Prize Showcase at the NHA meeting in DC. In attendance was Mike Morrow (CEO) and Alice Gillespie (Senior Scientist):

The M3 Wave showcase “booth”Alice describing the principles of operation

All PTO parts have arrived and first round bench calibration is complete.

Fundamental structural design and FEA analysis are complete on the 1:20 scale device. Fabrication is underway and on schedule.

FEA of NEXUS plus new support structure (not shown)

After deployment and anchoring meetings with OSU Hinsdale (site of June shakedown runs of 1:20 scale device), the team decided the best method to simulate the anchors at Carderock was to hard mount to the 1” threaded holes situated on the tank walls. Thankfully, M3 has experience doing this with our 2011 1:6 scale testing in the same flume. Not only do we still have full CAD of the tank mounts and brackets from that work, but after some bushwhacking on the M3 Wave backlot, we located the original 2011 heavy steel bracketry already pre-drilled to the tank patterns. Score!

M3 Wave new team member focuses on numerical modeling

Posted on Mon 18 Apr 2016

The team is looking forward to participating in the WEC Prize Showcase at NHA in a couple weeks and touring Carderock (with a tape measure!). Joining us on the NHA trip will our newest team member, Alice G. Alice is expanding the scope and detail of the numerical models for M3’s technology to provide deeper insights into full scale survivability and reliability. At our Corvallis lab, Mike Delos-Reyes has commissioned the 1:20 PTO test stand and is running initial calibration checks and tuning evaluations. Mike Morrow has completed the first round of PTO and structural designs and will be reviewing them this week with fabricators and machine shops for manufacturability refinements.

Team member Glosten has wrapped up a series of mooring dynamics models for various operational depths, buoyancy configurations, and ballast ratios. From these curves, we will narrow in on our final system configuration that will be tested at scale prior to shipping to Carderock.

M3 Wave working on 1:20 scale WEC model

Posted on Mon 21 Mar 2016

M3 Wave is busily working on our 1:20 model preparations. Initial scoping meetings with lead fabricator Ershigs are complete and a slot has been established in the fabrication schedule. Currently M3 is working closely with team member Glosten to refine the mooring dynamics models and structural systems. Carderock deployment concepts are underway with RPS Evans Hamilton (the same team member who oversaw M3’s APEX deployment in the Pacific Ocean in 2014).

M3 works on 1:20 scale design and welcomes new team member

Posted on Mon 15 Feb 2016

Since preparations for 1:20 scale testing are a long lead time item, we have commenced preparations for a Finalist “field campaign” as we await the selection process results.

This month the team began developing the framework for designing, transporting, and deploying a 1:20 scale NEXUS.

For pre-testing, we are undertaking a lengthy project to double the operational depth of our company wave tank to improve testing fidelity of deep water systems like NEXUS at 1:50 scale. Additionally, we secured a tentative Spring slot at a suitable 1:20 test facility for shakedown runs.

M3 Wave is pleased to welcome a new Senior Scientist, Alice G., to the team. Alice will help with hydrodynamics and sediment modeling around submerged structures (like NEXUS anchor systems). Welcome Alice!

DISCLAIMER: The team information provided on this page is provided solely by M3 Wave. The Wave Energy Prize is not responsible for its accuracy, legality, decency of material or intellectual-property compliance.